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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 1st, 2024–Feb 2nd, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Coast, Powell River, North Shore, Tetrahedron.

Wet snow problems are on the way out and whatever dry new snow accumulates will be the building blocks for Friday's hazard. Unless you are headed to Tetrahedron, probably not much.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Observations have been very limited, however we are confident that a natural avalanche cycle occurred during recent periods of heavy rain.

Looking forward, strong surface crusts should soon cap the snowpack in most areas.

Snowpack Summary

Limited high alpine locations in the region may have up to 20 cm of wind-redistributed new snow sitting on a new crust by the end of day Thursday. Up to 30 cm might be found in the Tetrahedron area.

Elsewhere, the snowpack has been heavily saturated by recent rainfall.

Below treeline coverage in many areas has returned to below threshold depth for avalanches.

Weather Summary

Thursday night

Cloudy with 10 to 15 mm of rain or wet snow in high alpine. Southeast alpine winds 30 to 40 km/h.

Friday

Cloudy with wet flurries bringing 10-20 cm of new snow, greatest in the alpine, rain below about 1100 m. Southeast alpine winds 20 to 30 km/h. Treeline temperature 0°C with freezing levels around 1400 m.

Saturday

A mix of sun and cloud. Variable or northeast alpine wind 5-15 km/h. Treeline temperature 0°C with freezing levels around 1300 m.

Sunday

Mainly sunny. Northeast alpine wind 15-30 km/h. Treeline temperature 0°C with freezing levels around 1300 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.